EASTERN Concrete, which is based in Stowmarket, is to expand with the acquisition of the ready mixed concrete business of Cambridgeshire-based company Allen Newport.

The business includes two ready-mix plants, at Fornham Park, near Bury St Edmunds, and Waterbeach, north of Cambridge, with five members of staff transferring to Eastern. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

Eastern Concrete, which also has depots at Bury and Norwich, in addition to its main base on the Stowmarket Business Park, currently specialises in site mixed concrete.

Tom Baker, managing director at Eastern, said: “The acquisition of this long established and highly regarded business will complement our existing volumetric fleet and enhance our service for complete concrete solutions.

“The Allen Newport Ltd reputation for providing a quality product and service matches our core business value and message, first for flexibility and service.

“The two plants will enable us to better service a larger market and greatly increase our already impressive portfolio of products and services over a wider geographical area.

“Expanding our fleet and workforce during this challenging economic period will further enhance our capabilities across all sectors and greatly benefit our customers and our long-term goals”.

There will be no redundancies are a result of the deal, with Allen Newport retaining its remaining 18 employees and continuing to operate its aggregates operation, based on a sand and gravel quarry at Cavenham, between Bury and Newmarket.

Richard Stevens, managing director of Allen Newport, which is based at Fordham, near Cambridge, said: “Having reached the decision to sell our ready mixed concrete business our priority was to ensure that we identified a buyer with a similar culture and ethos to that adopted by Allen Newport Ltd over nearly 50 years of the operation of our ready mixed business.

“In Eastern Concrete I have no doubt that we have succeeded in this aim; the company is both progressive and ambitious but displays the same virtues of quality of product and service that we have always advocated.

“I am certain that the legacy created by Allen Newport Ltd and all of its hard-working and loyal employees is in extremely good hands.”

He added: “We shall continue to trade as Allen Newport Ltd and look forward to continuing to look after our customers with the same dedication and level of service as we have done over the 78 years that the company has been in existence.”